Chef News

Dallas chef Tiffany Derry offers opportunity to franchise her chicken shack

Chef Tiffany Derry

Photo courtesy of Wine Poste

T2D Concepts, the hospitality group founded by celebrity chef Tiffany Derry and Tom Foley, is offering the opportunity to franchise her Roots Chicken Shak concept.

With an efficient footprint, streamlined menu centered around Tiffany’s duck fat-fried chicken, and elimination of food waste, Roots presents a scalable restaurant concept that creates a great dining experience, and also works to catalyze social justice.

“Our mission at T2D Concepts is to practice hospitality with purpose: deliver great experiences for our guests and great opportunities for our people and partners,” says co-founder Tom Foley in a statement. “We designed this model with the intention to shift the franchise system and provide pathways for marginalized community members to operate their own business. We invite those interested in starting a franchise and making a difference to join our mission.”

T2D Concepts T2D Concepts is the hospitality group behind Roots Chicken Shak, Roots Southern Table, Radici and ‘Shef Tiffany (spice and apparel line) founded on passion, principle, and purpose.

What differentiates T2D’s franchise model from others is the criteria of their potential franchise owner-operators. Rather than looking at net worth, bank account balance or credit score first, T2D looks for individuals who embrace their core values: the passion to deliver legendary unparalleled hospitality and a commitment to excellence. The secondary factor is that the potential operator possesses a baseline level of restaurant operations experience.

This allows qualified individuals who may be undercapitalized, both currently and historically, to join T2D as owner-operators or multi-unit developers.

While recognizing the reality of restaurant development and the need for capital, T2D’s solution is crafted to clear financial hurdles by leveraging strategic relationships with funding partners, municipalities, and companies aligned with the group’s mission.

"As a black female, I understand and empathize with the challenges of breaking into and becoming successful in the hospitality industry," Derry says in a statement. "That’s why this endeavor is so important—to be able to provide under-resourced individuals the opportunity and resources to build a better life for not only themselves, but also the communities they live in.”

T2D Concepts currently operates two Roots Chicken Shak locations in Plano and Austin, with a third slated to open in DeSoto.

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Hummus News

Revered family-owned Mediterranean restaurant debuts in North Dallas

Samantha Marie Photography

Zon Zon food spread

An upscale Mediterranean restaurant is coming to North Dallas from a trusted name: Called Zon Zon, it'll open at 5455 Belt Line Rd. #130, in the Work/Shop center, and it's from hospitality group Yela Concepts, led by Yaser Khalaf (Darna, Baboush), together with his son Mak Khalef in their first collaboration.

According to a release, it'll open on December 22.

Named for Mak's sister Zaina (“Zon Zon”), the restaurant will be open for lunch and dinner with a refined take on Mediterranean dining, rooted in tradition but with modern influences.

"We tried to merge what embodies Mediterranean cuisine with dishes that people in Dallas love," Mak says. "A lot of the dishes we have on menu are Mediterranean but have American and Texan influences."

Mezze favorites include hummus topped with green shatta and extra-virgin olive oil; baba ghanoush with charred eggplant, tahini, dukka, and pomegranate; crispy cauliflower with saffron labneh; tuna neya with tahini, mixed pickles, and Aleppo pepper; and kibbeh with ground lamb, onions, pine nuts, and dill labneh.

Salads include seared tuna salad with freekeh and golden beets; Tahini Caesar with tahini–Caesar dressing and za’atar croutons; and roasted beets with burrata, oranges, and pistachios.

Entrées include roasted chicken with garlic-batata and pomegranate jus; chicken shish kebab over saffron rice with almonds and raisins; hanger steak shawarma frites — a clever twist on steak frites with hand-cut fries; ZZ’s Wagyu cheeseburger with smoked provolone and house pickles; Prime ribeye with za’atar chimichurri and heirloom carrots; and apricot lamb couscous.

The beverage program complements the menu with a Mediterranean-focused wine list and creative cocktails such as the coffee-kissed Midnight Istanbul and ZZ’s Margarita, with burnt pineapple and ras el hanout.

Designed in collaboration with Dallas-based Coeval Studios, the restaurant features a 2,130-square-foot interior with an expansive 735-square-foot patio that seats 76, for a total occupancy near 100.

The restaurant boasts an open kitchen, while decorative finishes include modern woodwork, rich textures, and Middle Eastern-inspired details — stylish yet inviting, with a setting that feels like home.

“The inspiration behind Zon Zon came from wanting to create the kind of place we’ve always wished existed — a neighborhood Mediterranean spot that feels both familiar and exciting," says Yaser in a statement. "We wanted to create a comfortable space where guests can meet up with friends or neighbors on a regular basis."

Mak went to college to study biomedical engineering, but says he couldn't resist the lure of the restaurant world in which he grew up.

"Zon Zon is a reflection of everything we love about food," Mak says. "What makes this especially meaningful is building it with my dad — bringing our family’s story and passion to the table."

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